Southport

I headed out to Southport on a cold damp November Saturday in the hope of mopping up a few targets.  Was I on a hiding to nothing during the November slump before the Christmas rush?  Would anywhere be open?

Things didn't begin well at the Carlton where, contrary to what the internet and the sign suggested, it wasn't open shortly after one.

Just a short way along Lord Street is the Prince Of Wales Hotel:

This is the wrong side of the bar/hotel dividing line, I feel, but it sometimes has cask ale so I thought I'd give it a try.

The Moorhouses pump clip raised my hopes, but the barmaid apologised, turned the clip around, and poured me a Guinness.

I was in a surprisingly small hotel bar, warm and comfortable, but I wondered if there was a larger space somewhere, there isn't much room in here.  Mind you, I was the only customer when I arrived, so maybe it is big enough.  Two more came in later.

I was somewhat irritated to hear a Christmas song play, further listening revealed that we were hearing Smooth Radio and to be fair the next few songs were not seasonal.  (I saw a bus displaying "Happy Christmas" in Manchester yesterday.  Bah humbug!)

I wandered towards the sea, to the Conservatory which is probably also the wrong side of the bar/hotel boundary, but it's closed so we won't find out today.  I turned back towards Lord Street and soon spotted no less than three interesting places of which I wasn't previously aware.  The Chop House and Bar Thirteen weren't open ...

... but Avenue was:

A modern bar this, the decor sparse but rather attractive.  I noted a small stage at one end of the room, I can imagine this place buzzing on a Saturday night in season.  At half two on a Saturday afternoon it was ticking over with about half a dozen customers.

No Carling on offer, I could have had Fosters to say goodbye before they water it down even more, but I just stuck with Guinness.

I was impressed by the background music which was at just the right volume.  One could hold a conversation if desired.

As I neared the end of my beer a musician turned up and started setting up on the stage.  I'm all in favour of live music in pubs but it looks like I'll be gone before he starts.

I had a look at the Scarisbrick Hotel in which the Barons Bar is rather good, and there are two other bars as well, but the whole place is closed.  If you have a booking it's been moved to the Prince of Wales, says the sign.  I really must come here in the summer, I think this is the second time I've found the whole complex "closed for maintenance".

But across the alleyway is the Hideaway, another one I wasn't previously aware of:

This time we are in a coffee bar or cafe, but they have draft beer so I had another Guinness.  I didn't realise until too late that the tap on the counter was only symbolic and my beer came from a can via a surger, I probably should have selected one of the true drafts, Mahou or Stella.

This one is remarkably busy, it looks like they were running out of free tables, and the two serving staff were working hard bringing out beers, coffee and food.

The gentle background music was mostly masked by multiple conversations in this busy comfortable place.

Belatedly, I noticed a sign on the counter, "Payment by cash is preferred but card payments are accepted".  If I'd seen that before getting my drink I would have paid cash.  It's uncommon to see a place expressing a preference and I'm sorry I didn't spot it until too late.

Where next?  Could the Carlton be open now? Probably not, but it's worth a look:

Happily, I was wrong, the lights were on and it was open.

Last time I was in the Carlton, back in 1998, I described it as a multi level disco bar.  If I am being honest I have no recollection whatsoever of that.  After some years as Eighty Eight (Its number on Lord Street) the name has reverted to the previous one.  What I found today was a rather pleasant bar, nicely decorated and comfortably warm.

I had another Guinness and looked around.  About ten customers in total in here, plus one or two smokers in the pleasant looking front garden area. (Pleasant looking but neither attractive nor popular on a cold grey November day!)

Maybe one more before I go home?  Cable street has a number of pubs on it, one of which is the Ship and Anchor which I have never visited.  Could it be open this afternoon?  Let's see...

I don't know why I've never been in here before, it seems to have been shut on every previous occasion when I have come into this short cul-de-sac with three pubs.

In any case, what I found today was a busy lively boozer full of people mostly younger than I, playing pool or darts or, mainly, chatting and drinking.

I had a pint of Carling, and perched on a stool at the end of the counter, the only available seat in a remarkably busy room.

This is the first lively place I've come across today, and it is rather pleasing to find one, I must say.

Anyway, time for home I think, but hang on a minute, over the road is the Fox and Goose which is an evenings only place, or so I thought, but it seems to be open...

Sorry, it was too dark for a photo by now, this one is from 2022.  There were no customers other than your guide in this large cold pub, and the barmaid seemed slightly surprised to have a customer, but soon poured me a pint of Fox and Goose Lager.

What a strange contrast to the busy one on the other side of the road, this pleasantly decorated plain bar was freezing cold and totally empty.  Never mind, I'll take the tick - At least I got a table and a seat!  By the way, my notes from 1998 say they had real ale in here.

To be fair, this one feels like a rather good night club sort of place, so I imagine at eleven tonight it will be lively, but it's not doing very well now!

I sat in one of the side areas where there were two pool tables, I would have thought that pool fans could keep the place ticking over at quiet times but apparently not.  The pool table(s) in the Ship and Anchor had been in use.

Another customer appeared, he seemed to be playing the fruit machine without a drink, perhaps that creates more income for the pub?

Hmmm, six pints is probably unwise before the long train ride back to Liverpool, I'll have to cross my legs...  Not helped by the gents at Central being closed when I got there!  What a splendid crop today, four brand new entries for the database and four (not the same four) places never ticked before and the other two were last visited in the previous millennium.

Pub of the day: Ship and Anchor
Beer of the day: Guinness
Miles walked: 1.5
Maybe coming soon: Don't know.

Aigburth

Having something non pub related arranged for this morning I wasn't sure whether I would be doing a survey today, but finding myself at Widnes station before noon it was a relatively easy journey on two trains to Aigburth.  The slight down side of being in steel toe capped boots and carrying a hard hat didn't discourage me as I started my researches in the Old Bank:

Four handpumps were operational, I selected a delicious pint of Neptune Mosaic.

I've no idea how much of the bank remains in the attractive interior, there's some good leaded glasswork in exterior and internal windows and some fine doorframes.  The entrance doors have leaded glass panels which must surely be a hundred years old.

As I enjoyed my pint there were about ten regulars in, most were greeted by name by the barmaid/landlady.  Some sat alone staring into space or studying the newspaper, others chatted.   When the early match began some of them were watching Spurs vs Man U.

For what is essentially a locals' boozer they offer a good range of beers, a well as the aforementioned handpumps there were lager taps for Carling, Estrella, Erdinger,  Ayinger and Brooklyn; also a cloudy cider and Tetley bitter.  Oh, and Guinness of course.

This is a wonderful pub, I really like it.

My next destination was the Aigburth Arms when I first drank there back in 1998, but has spent most of the intervening years as the Victoria, until a few years ago it reverted to its "proper" name:

As I'm sure you already know, Red Dwarf's Lister was found as a baby in a cardboard box under the pool table here.  I wonder how many visitors they get because of this?  I'm going to say approximately zero.

By the time I reached here Manchester were one goal up.

In the very well cared for pub interior just a handful of customers were present, most of them watching the footie.  There is nothing great about the decor here, but it is well looked after, clean and tidy.  The large beer garden looks very well done as well.

If I am allowed one whinge, almost every table in the main room is a high one, with high chairs to match.  What is it about these tables that makes them so common, if I'm sitting I want my feet on the ground, not dangling in mid air.

Back to the busy Aigburth Road and to the Fulwood Arms:

Is my memory faulty or is this place twice as big as it used to be?  Google streetview confirms it's all in my head!  In any case, it is a large pleasant nicely styled boozer with a dozen or more customers watching the football or chatting.

A third good pub for today, it is very comfortable in here (And my feet reached the floor!)

Next, on my way to the Old Bank I had spotted a bar I wasn't aware of, so let's double back to the Craft Vale:

I arrived to find the barman and just one customer, so not a busy time at half two on a Saturday.  This was the first pub today that doesn't have the footie on, it was much more peaceful than the others!  Another pleasant and comfortable place to visit.

An admirably good range of keg fonts, mainly ones I've never heard of, but I chose to be boring and just have Erdinger.  It was the last one out of the keg and a little short of a pint so I got a reduced price!  It tasted fine anyway.

Another customer/friend of the staff came in but he had a cup of tea.  So perhaps technically not a customer.

Now what?  There is one never visited "wine bar" not too far away, could I get another new tick to complete the day, or should I just go home?  It's a mile and a bit so maybe not, but on the other hand it is not yet three o'clock.  Hmmm, decisions???  No, I can't be bothered, after this morning's activities I'm worn out so the shorter route home is calling.  After all, I've got four "required" ticks, one of them brand new, that's a good enough score.

Pub of the day: Old Bank
Beer of the day: Neptune Mosaic
Miles walked: 2.5
Maybe coming soon: Southport

Lark Lane

The train in to town broke all records for crush loading, but I just managed to squeeze myself on board.  No danger of falling over when it lurched over the points!  There's some rugger event at Everton, and Liverpool are at home for the late KO, no wonder it's so busy.

The train out of Central was much calmer and I was soon in Aigburth for a visit to Lark Lane.  The plan was to walk to the far end noting new ones and closed ones, and then work my way back ticking as required.  But it started raining so I quickly headed into the Masonic Arms:

This has changed name since I visited the Lodge in 2019.  I'm trying and failing to remember what it looked like inside then, is it all different?  In any case, what I found today was a large beautiful pub with fun antiquey decor, it really looks great.

About a dozen handpumps offered a good selection of ales, I chose an excellent Kirkstall Pale.

The background music was mostly drowned out by cheerful chatter from the many groups in here, it's doing pretty well at one on a Saturday, I'm pleased to report.

On yesterday's pub crawl (Glossop, Stalyvegas, Manchester) which I'm not blogging because it was mostly chat in familiar pubs, I had a bit of a disaster as I was enjoying pint number six, when I dropped this tablet.  I initially thought I'd got away with it because it was still working, but on closer inspection the front glass is smashed at one end.  As I type this it is still functional but I had to turn it the other way up so the "keyboard" isn't on the cracked part.  The poor old thing was only months away from retirement, over five years old, so I guess it is time for a new one.

Next, Blondies:

I was expecting the "is it a bar or a restaurant" dilemma but once inside I found a pleasant cafe bar.  Unfortunately it was deserted, I was the only customer.  They don't do food in here, in fact signage on the door recommends Rhubarb across the road.

I selected Erdinger from the keg selection, sat on the long bench seat along the wall, and looked around.  The decor is rather well done, I feel, although the Halloween stuff should be down by now!

The barmaid was humming along to the background music which was at the right volume for an empty bar.

In case you're wondering, yes the bar is themed on Blondie/Debbie Harry, for example there are black and white stripes on the drinks menu in the style of Parallel Lines.

Just over the road is Bar 25:

This is the one "ordinary" pub on Lark Lane and it's another one I haven't visited with its current name, it used to be the Parkfield.

A deep narrow corridor bar, plain, pleasant and comfortable.  A little down market, at least compared with the other places around here, but there's nothing wrong with that.  They've certainly got more customers than Blondies, which had two staff and just me.

I wonder if it is an intentional part of the "Bohemian" style of Lark Lane, that the mobile signal is very poor here?  Do you think my new tablet will have better RF performance?

I emerged to find it was throwing it down, so I quickly hurried next door into the previously mentioned Rhubarb:

(The photo was taken earlier when the sun was shining)

Now this one is perhaps on the wrong side of the restaurant/bar line, but they were happy to serve me a pint so they get to be in the guide.

Unlike Blondies over the road, it was very busy here, in fact I was quite surprised they allowed a non diner in as there were very few free tables.  While I enjoyed my beer the only other open table I could see became occupied so I think they might have been full.  This was at half two on a Saturday, clearly they are doing things right.  I looked around, a bloke was enjoying a splendid looking breakfast fry-up, I wonder how much that costs, I didn't get a food menu to peruse.  He took some of it home, the wimp.

I looked out of the window, the briefly torrential rain had stopped.  Over the road I could see people going in to Blondies so it isn't as empty as it was earlier.

If I'm allowed to complain (Of course I am) it was very chilly in here, I would have thought an operation this busy could afford some heating!

Again, the Halloween decor was still present, tut tut, but I suppose on the plus side at least they haven't got Christmas decorations yet!

The two attractive young ladies on the table next to mine had all day breakfasts, not what one expects (casual sexism), clearly they have better taste than I was thinking!

A group of nine came in, and were rebuffed, no space, this one is doing well.

Next, a little further along Lark Lane is the long standing Maranto's:

This bar/restaurant has been here longer than I have, as it opened in 1983, but it's not as old as the beautiful Grade II listed Victorian building.  I wandered in and headed straight to the counter where I ordered a Guinness.  I sat down in the restaurant area, oops, but the barman said it would be OK.  I offered to move upstairs, he said you don't need to, but I've never been upstairs so I carried my pint up to the bar areas where I got a more comfortable seat at a table with no cutlery.

I should whinge that once again it was very cold in here and I kept my coat on.

On the (silent) TVs I could see Sky Sports News, that's good, it doesn't annoy anyone who isn't interested. Cambridge, the city of my birth, progressed to 2-0 up, and it's only 15:36.  It's our kid who really follows them, I'm sure he'll be happy.

I must say that this place is doing really well with large numbers of happy customers enjoying food and drink, it's really busy in here.

How about that, two brand new ones and three overdue ones, what more could one ask?  OK, the answer to that is more real ales, I only got one!  I've got a vague recollection that last time I was on Lark Lane I got an Uber to take me home, that seems a bit unnecessary, I think I'll walk back to the station for a train into town, I'll probably be there before the home-going rush.  I marched briskly back to the station, only to find that the train was ten minutes late, I could have taken it easy.

Pub of the day: Masonic
Beer of the day: Kirkstall Pale
Miles walked: 1.1
Maybe coming soon: Southport